Slide fastener stringer and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A slide fastener stringer easily manufactured by a series of manufacturing steps with molding fastener elements in a warp yarn exclusion area formed on one side edge of a fastener tape, wherein a fastener tape is produced by weaving with warp yarns and weft yarns of synthetic fiber yarn; plural pieces of water soluble fiber yarns are disposed inside over plural pieces of the warp yarns from the side edge of the tape; in a dying step in a process for manufacturing a fastener stringer, the water soluble fiber yarns are dissolved to form the warp yarn exclusion area; and by molding the fastener elements by using the warp yarn exclusion area, the fastener stringer is manufactured in an easy sequential manufacturing process without applying any special processing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/188,817, filed Jul. 25, 2005, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fastener stringer which is a material of a slide fastener, the slide fastener in which fastener elements are molded in a fastener tape including gaps formed at a portion of the slide fastener on which the fastener elements are to be mounted, and relates to a method of manufacturing the fastener stringer.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a slide fastener, in which through holes are provided along a side edge of a fastener tape and fastener elements of thermoplastic resin are attached to the through holes by injection molding, has been well known. For example, in a slide fastener shown in FIG. 10 (Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-35049), a fastener tape 1′ is woven by using polyester fiber yarns or union yarns of polyester fibers and natural fibers as warp yarns 2′ and weft yarns 3′, through holes 20′ are drilled at predetermined positions of the fastener tape 1′ at an equal interval by ultrasonic wave process, the inner peripheral face of each of the through holes 20′ is formed as a fusion solidified face 27′, fastener elements 13′ of polyamide resin are formed in the through holes 20′ by injection molding process, and upper and lower legs 15′ of the fastener elements 13′ are connected through the through holes 20′.

In the slide fastener shown in FIG. 10, the fastener elements 13′ of thermoplastic resin are mounted on the fastener tape 1′ by injection molding, and its procedure and process are complicated and take a long time and are much troublesome. For example, a synthetic fiber yarn needs to be used for the fastener tape 1′. Further, a special unit is required for drilling the through holes 20′, so that it takes a long time for fusing and solidifying, and positioning needs to be carried out accurately when injection molding the fastener elements 13′.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been achieved in consideration of the above-described problems. A first aspect of the invention does not always require using a synthetic fiber yarn as a yarn to be used in a fastener tape but permits use of a cotton yarn. A main object of the first aspect of the invention is to provide a slide fastener stringer, in which a void portion, i.e., a rough warp yarn exclusion area wherein only weft yarns are left by removing warp yarns in a predetermined width is formed, the warp yarn exclusion area being formed inside over a certain distance from a side edge of the fastener tape, and fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy are molded in the warp yarn exclusion area.

In addition to the object of the first aspect, an object of second to fifth aspects of the invention is to provide a slide fastener stringer in which the fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy are mounted on the fastener tape firmly with a good appearance by molding process.

An object of a sixth aspect of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing the slide fastener stringer, comprising: a weaving step of weaving a water soluble fiber yarn as a warp yarn into a position along a side edge of the fastener tape; a heat set step of heat treating the woven tape for a stability of a configuration; a dying step of dying the fastener tape while dissolving the water soluble fiber yarn to form a warp yarn exclusion area; and a molding step of molding fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy in the warp yarn exclusion area.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided slide fastener stringer, wherein a warp yarn exclusion area deprived of warp yarns is provided inside over plural pieces of the warp yarns from a side edge of a fastener tape, and fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy are formed in the warp yarn exclusion area.

Consequently, the fastener stringer which is the material of the slide fastener can be produced easily. Further, the fastener elements can be mounted on the fastener tape firmly so as to finish an excellent fastener stringer.

According to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided the slide fastener stringer, wherein a core thread is disposed between the side edge of the fastener tape and the warp yarn exclusion area deprived of the warp yarns.

Consequently, the fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy can be molded and fixed to the side edge of the fastener tape firmly.

According to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided the slide fastener stringer, wherein at least one warp yarn is interposed between the core thread for fixing the fastener elements and the warp yarn exclusion area deprived of the warp yarns.

Consequently, the core thread disposed on the side edge of the fastener tape can be maintained in a stable state without inducing any deviation of stitch, so that the fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy can be molded accurately so as to finish a fastener stringer having a high strength.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided the slide fastener stringer, wherein each of the fastener elements formed by molding thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy is formed integrally with a coupling head and a leg, the coupling head is disposed outside the side edge of the fastener tape, and the leg is provided through front and rear surfaces of the warp yarn exclusion area.

With the above feature, the coupling head and the leg of the fastener element are integral and the coupling head is located accurately outside the fastener tape. As a consequence, the leg is molded in the warp yarn exclusion area deprived of the warp yarns such that it penetrates through the front and rear surfaces of the fastener tape and thus, the leg can be held securely.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided the slide fastener stringer, wherein the leg of each of the fastener elements strides over a weft yarn left in the warp yarn exclusion area on both front and rear surfaces thereof, and a front end portion of the leg is bonded to a warp yarn existing inside the fastener tape.

Consequently, the leg of the fastener element is closely-attached to the weft yarns arranged neatly and the front end of the leg is closely-attached to the warp yarn facing the exclusion area, thereby preventing the leg from moving. As a consequence, a solid fastener stringer can be finished.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a slide fastener stringer, comprising: a weaving step of disposing plural pieces of warp yarns formed from water soluble fiber yarns, for example, water soluble vinylon, as the warp yarns at an inside position from a side edge of a fastener tape having a predetermined width and weaving with the warp yarns; a heat set step of heat treating the fastener tape; a dying step of dying the fastener tape while dissolving the water soluble fiber yarn to form a warp yarn exclusion area deprived of the warp yarns; and a molding step of molding fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy in the warp yarn exclusion area.

With this feature, by forming the warp yarn exclusion area at a portion located inwardly from the side edge of the fastener tape and molding the fastener elements of thermoplastic resin or metal such as zinc alloy in the warp yarn exclusion area, a slide fastener stringer equipped with solid and stable elements can be manufactured easily by using an ordinary manufacturing apparatus without use of any special manufacturing apparatus. Therefore, the effects which the present invention achieves are extremely remarkable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fastener tape in a state that fastener elements are molded in a warp yarn exclusion area of the fastener tape.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a fastener tape in which water soluble fiber yarns are disposed.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a fastener tape in a state that fastener elements are formed in a warp yarn exclusion area of the fastener tape.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a fastener tape in which a core thread is disposed.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a fastener tape in a state that fastener elements are formed in a warp yarn exclusion area of the fastener tape.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a fastener tape in which other core thread is disposed.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a fastener stringer.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a process of manufacturing the fastener stringer.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing the warp yarn exclusion area of the fastener tape.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a well known fastener tape.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A slide fastener stringer and a method of manufacturing the same according to various embodiments of the invention will be described. In the slide fastener stringer, as shown in FIG. 1, multi-filaments of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber are used for warp yarns 2 and weft yarns 3, and a fastener tape 1 is produced by needle weaving with the weft yarn 3 by double picks. In the fastener tape 1, a warp yarn exclusion area 12 in which no warp yarns 2 exist by excluding corresponding warp yarns 2 is formed inside over plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 from a side edge 5, and as a result, plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 are removed while only the weft yarns 3 are left in the warp yarn exclusion area. In the warp yarn exclusion area 12, a leg 15 of the fastener element 13 is molded due to injection molding by using such thermoplastic resin as polyamide and polyacetal on the left weft yarns 3 at a constant pitch so as to be closely-attached to front and rear surfaces, thereby producing a fastener stringer as shown in FIG. 7. Alternately, the fastener elements 13 are formed due to die-cast molding by using such metal as zinc alloy and aluminum alloy in the warp yarn exclusion area 12, thereby producing the fastener stringer. In the meantime, because plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 existing between the side edge 5 and the warp yarn exclusion area 12 are covered with the fastener elements 13 formed in the warp yarn exclusion area 12, they are fixed with a sufficient mounting strength.

As means for forming the warp yarn exclusion area 12 in the fastener tape 1, plural pieces of water soluble fiber yarns 4, for example, water soluble vinylon are disposed inside over plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 from the side edge 5 of the tape 1 and the fastener tape is woven, as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, it is permissible to weave a fastener tape 1 of a type in which a core thread 6 is disposed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. In the woven fastener tape 1, the warp yarns as the water soluble fiber yarns 4 are dissolved in a dying solution in a dying step in the manufacturing process and removed to form the warp yarn exclusion area 12.

As for the method of manufacturing the slide fastener stringer, first, the fastener tape 1 shown in FIG. 2 is needle woven with double picks by using the warp yarn 2 and the weft yarn 3. At this time, plural pieces of water soluble fiber yarns 4 are disposed as the warp yarns 2 inside of plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 placed along the side edge 5 of the fastener tape 1. In this weaving step, the fastener tape 1 of a type in which the core thread 6 is used as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 may be woven. Next in a heat set step in which the woven fastener tape 1 is heat treated by dry heat, deviation of stitch in the fastener tape 1 is prevented to stabilize the configuration of the fastener tape. Thereafter, the fastener tape 1 is sent to the dying step, in which the fastener tape 1 is passed in a dying solution to dissolve the water soluble fiber yarns 4, and as a consequence, a warp yarn exclusion area 12 in which no warp yarn 2 exists is formed in the fastener tape 1.

After the warp yarn exclusion area 12 is formed, the fastener tape 1 is sent to a molding step, in which the fastener elements 13 are molded at a constant pitch due to injection molding by using such thermoplastic resin as polyacetal and polyamide in the warp yarn exclusion area 12, thereby producing the fastener stringer as shown in FIG. 7. In the molding step, the fastener elements 13 may be formed due to die-cast molding by using such metal as zinc alloy and aluminum alloy in the exclusion area 12, thereby producing the fastener stringer. As for the method of manufacturing the fastener stringer of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, the fastener stringer is produced through the weaving step, the heat set step, the dying step and the molding step. A produced fastener stringer is cut to a predetermined length, a top stop end and a bottom stop end or an opening device is mounted on each of right and left fastener stringers, and then, a slider is loaded thereon, thereby finishing various kinds of the slide fasteners.

A slide fastener stringer of a first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is woven with warp yarns 2 and weft yarns 3 formed of multi-filament yarns of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber. The fastener tape 1 is produced by needle weaving with the weft yarn 3 by double picks. In the fastener tape 1, a warp yarn exclusion area 12, in which only the weft yarns 3 exist, is provided inside of plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 placed along a side edge 5 by removing plural pieces of the warp yarns 2. Fastener elements 13 having an appropriate shape are injection molded in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 by using such thermoplastic resin as polyacetal and polyamide. A coupling head 14 of the fastener element 13 is projected outward from the side edge 5 of the fastener tape 1, and the leg 15 or a front end portion 16 of the leg is formed so as to adhere to the weft yarn 3 existing in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 and the warp yarn 2 facing the warp yarn exclusion area 12 from both the front and rear surfaces, thereby producing the fastener stringer shown in FIG. 7.

By using the warp yarn 2 and weft yarn 3 for the double picks each having a size of 330 dtex, the fastener tape 1 is woven into an appropriate weaving structure, for example, a herringbone weaving structure, as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, plural pieces of water soluble fiber yarns 4 made of water soluble vinylon having 1220 dtex are disposed inside of plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 placed along the side edge 5 of the fastener tape 1. Because the water soluble fiber yarn 4 is dissolved in water of 70° C., it is dissolved at a stage where the fastener tape 1 is dyed.

A slide fastener stringer of a second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 is woven with warp yarns 2 and weft yarns 3 formed of multi-filament yarns of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber. The fastener tape 1 is produced by needle weaving by double pick with the weft yarn 3, and a core thread 6 having a large diameter is woven into a side edge 5 of the fastener tape 1. As the core thread 6, several pieces of multi-filament yarns of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber are used, and the same kind of the multi-filament yarn is braided around it to produce the core thread 6. A warp yarn exclusion area 12 in which only the weft yarns 3 exist is provided at a portion corresponding to plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 adjacent to the core thread 6 in the fastener tape 1. Fastener elements 13 of an appropriate shape are injection molded in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 by using such thermoplastic resin as polyacetal and polyamide.

A coupling head 14 of the fastener element 13 is projected outward from the side edge 5 of the fastener tape 1, and a leg 15 surrounds the core thread 6 while the leg 15 and the front end portion 16 fix the weft yarn 3 existing in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 and the warp yarn 12 facing the warp yarn exclusion area 12 from the front and rear surfaces, thereby forming the fastener stringer shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 4, plural pieces of water soluble vinylon which is water soluble fiber yarn 4 are disposed adjacent to the core thread 6 arranged along the side edge 5.

A slide fastener stringer of a third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 is woven with warp yarns 2 and weft yarns 3 formed of multi-filament yarns of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber. The fastener tape 1 is produced by needle weaving by double picks with the weft yarns 3, and a core thread 6 having a small diameter is woven into a side edge 5 on both the front and rear surfaces of the fastener tape 1. As the core thread 6, a single piece of multi-filament yarn of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber is used, and the same kind of the multi-filament yarn is braided around it so as to produce the core thread 6. In the fastener tape 1, the warp yarns 2 are disposed adjacent to the core thread 6, and then, the warp yarn exclusion area 12 in which only the weft yarns 3 exist is provided at a portion corresponding to plural pieces of the warp yarns 2 adjacent to these warp yarns 2. Then, fastener elements 13 of an appropriate shape are injection molded in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 by using such thermoplastic resin as polyacetal and polyamide. A coupling head 14 of the fastener element 13 is projected outward from the side edge 5 of the fastener tape 1, and a leg 15 surrounds the core thread 6 while the leg 15 and the front end portion 16 fix the weft yarn 3 existing in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 and the warp yarn 2 facing the warp yarn exclusion area 12 from the front and rear surfaces, thereby producing the fastener stringer shown in FIG. 7. In the fastener tape 1, as shown in FIG. 6, plural pieces of water soluble vinylon which is water soluble fiber yarn 4 are disposed adjacent to the core thread 6 arranged on the front and rear surfaces of the side edge 5.

If speaking of a method of manufacturing the slide fastener stringer described in the respective embodiments, the fastener stringer is manufactured according to manufacturing steps shown in FIG. 8, according to another embodiment. First, in a weaving step, the warp yarns 2 of 330 dtex formed of multi-filament yarns of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber are arranged to a predetermined width of 13 to 16 mm of a predetermined fastener tape 1. At this time, the water soluble fiber yarns 4 of 1220 dtex, for example, water soluble vinylon are disposed at a position inward by plural pieces from the warp yarn 2 on the side edge 5. Then, there is disposed, on the side edge 5, the core thread 6 having a large diameter, for example, a core thread 6 in which several pieces of multi-filament yarns of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber are used as a core while the same kind of the multi-filament yarns are braided around it. Alternatively, on the side edge 5 is vertically disposed the core thread 6 having a small diameter, for example, the core thread 6 in which the a single piece of multi-filament yarn of polyester fiber or polyamide fiber is used as a core while the same kind of the multi-filament yarns are braided around it. Then, the weft yarn 3 of the same type as the warp yarn 2 is weft inserted into the arranged warp yarn 3, water soluble fiber yarn 4 or the core thread 6 by double picks in the needle weaving, so that the fastener tape 1 as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 is woven with an appropriate weaving structure, for example, a herringbone weaving structure.

The woven fastener tape 1 is sent to a next heat set step, in which the fastener tape 1 is heat treated by dry heat of around 180° C. so as to better the texture of the fastener tape 1 and stabilize is configuration. Thereafter, the fastener tape 1 is sent to a dying step, in which the fastener tape 1 is dyed in a dying solution of around 130° C. At the same time, the water soluble fiber yarn 4 composed of water soluble vinylon is dissolved in the dying solution, so that, as shown in FIG. 9, the water soluble fiber yarns 4 woven into the fastener tape 1 shown in FIG. 6 is dissolved, and the warp yarn exclusion area 12 in which only the weft yarns 3 are left is formed when the fastener tape 1 is dyed.

After dyed, the fastener tape 1 is sent to a molding step to mold the fastener elements 13. In the molding step, the fastener elements 13 having various kinds of shape is formed in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 in the fastener tape 1 by injection molding means using such thermoplastic resin as polyacetal and polyamide, thereby to producing the fastener stringer of resin shown in FIG. 7.

In the molding step, the fastener elements 13 may be molded in the warp yarn exclusion area 12 formed in the fastener tape 1 by die-cast molding means using such metal as zinc alloy and aluminum alloy, thereby manufacturing a metallic fastener stringer.

Finally, the fastener stringer is cut out to a predetermined length, and a top end stop and a bottom end stop are mounted on front and rear ends of a cut piece or an opening device is mounted to combine right and left fastener stringers. Then, a slider is loaded thereon to finish the slide fastener.

In the slide fastener stringer of the present invention, thermoplastic resin or the like is injection molded on a tape side edge to form fastener elements. The fastener elements are mounted such that their legs pass through the tape. The slide fastener is finished with a rigid structure and can be applied to not only clothing but also a product on which a force is applied, such as bags and various kinds of cases. 

1. A method of manufacturing a slide fastener stringer, comprising: a weaving step of weaving with a water soluble fiber yarn as a warp yarn, the water soluble fiber yarn disposed along a side edge of a fastener tape having a predetermined width; a heat set step of heat treating the fastener tape; a dying step of dying the fastener tape while dissolving the water soluble fiber yarn to form a warp yarn exclusion area; and a molding step of molding fastener elements by using the warp yarn exclusion area.
 2. The method of manufacturing the slide fastener stringer according to claim 1, wherein a core thread is disposed between the side edge of the fastener tape and the warp yarn exclusion area.
 3. The method of manufacturing the slide fastener stringer according to claim 2, wherein at least one warp yarn is interposed between the core thread and the warp yarn exclusion area.
 4. The method of manufacturing the slide fastener stringer according to claim 1, wherein a leg strides over a weft yarn left in the warp yarn exclusion area on both front and rear surfaces thereof, and a front end portion of the leg is bonded to a warp yarn. 